Memo: The EU Regulation to Reduce Mobile Roaming Charges by up to 70% – Voting Starts in the European Parliament

The European Parliament will for the first time vote at Committee stage about the European Commission's proposal to reduce international mobile roaming charges by up to 70% as from this summer. On 21 March 2007 the Economic and Monetary Committee will be the first body of the European Parliament to express a (non-binding) opinion. On 22 March, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee and the Culture and Education Committee will follow with their votes. The vote in the Industry, Research and Energy Committee is scheduled for 12 April. Even though the final view of the European Parliament will only be known once the plenary have voted on the proposal – which is expected to take place by mid-May – the votes at Committee stage will be important to shape the final text of the EU Roaming Regulation. Of particular importance will be the votes of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (Rapporteur Joseph Muscat) and of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (Rapporteur Paul Rübig), both of whom have been assigned a leading role in the parliamentary process.